Regularities in formation of stressed state in roof rocks of mined-out space during development stage

Formation of the stress-and-strain state of the rock mass in the roof of mined coal seam depends on the development of the mined-out space. It is believed that the coal seam is located deep enough and it can be assumed that the effect of the daylight surface on its condition can be neglected. In this case, the solution is based on the analytical approach using methods of the complex variable theory and it is reduced to the construction of a single permission analytical function. The paper reviews the evolution of the deformation processes in development of the mined-out space in presence of a hard-to-collapse elastic roof, which is capable of sinking smoothly over time, without sudden caving on the landings on the floor. A particular attention is paid to the phase when the roof and the floor touch each other, i.e. the roof caving, starting from the first touching and up to its complete caving. In this case, two sections of the hanging roof are formed, that are gradually reducing in length as the dimensions of the mined-out space increase. The area of roof caving is progressively increasing, and the vertical compressive stresses at the boundary are gradually rising, tending to reach the initial vertical pressure at the depth of the formation before the start of its mining. Tension zones relative to the horizontal and vertical stresses are identified, that are attributed to the areas of roof hang-up, which may determine the location of zones with higher methane and formation water permeability, both in the rocks between the seams and in the coal seam.

DETERMINING THE PATTERNS OF STABILITY OF MINE WORKINGS FOR CALCULATION ROOF BOLTING PARAMETERS

Purpose. The published studies are aimed at determining the mechanism of deformation of the rocks of the contour around the workings in terms of the parameters of the emerging fracturing and their dependence on the indicators of the strength of the rocks and the depth of occurrence in the massif. The tasks of the study include the installation of fracture indicators, the determination of the parameters of the development of the deformation process around the working, including the effect of longwall mining and taking into account the possibility of reuse of the workings. Methodology. To solve the set tasks, the method of field observations was used together with the use of regression dependencies to determine the dependences of the parameters on the influencing factors. In addition, the method of full-scale pull-out tests of anchor support was used, which made it possible to determine the clamping forces of the anchors. Originality. In the course of the research, the dependences of stresses and deformation along the K7 coal seam in the conditions of the mine named after Kuzembaev CD JSC "ArcelorMittal Temirtau" for the massif around the mine with fastening. Rational parameters for the use of roof bolting in preparatory mine workings have been established. This type of fastening provides direct contact between rocks and lining. Analysis of the results of calculating the parameters of the roof bolting showed that to maintain the roof in the development workings, it is necessary to take into account the parameters of the roof bolting. The main parameters include the length of the anchors, the total resistance of the roof bolting and the density of the anchors. Anchor support forms laminated rock beams in the roof rocks, which ensure the stability of the workings. Conclusions and practical significance. The results of studies devoted to the establishment of the influence of mining-geological and mining-technical factors on the formation of zones of inelastic deformation in the host rocks were considered. Significant dependences of the deformation processes of rocks in the massif around the workings were obtained, and the parabolic zone of destruction of rocks was determined. The practical significance of the research consists in determining the actual indicators of the required bearing capacity of the anchorage at two levels in the conditions of the development of the coal seam k7 of the Kuzembaev mine.

Mechanical Properties of Roof Rocks under Superimposed Static and Dynamic Loads with Medium Strain Rates in Coal Mines

Roof rocks in coal mines are subjected to the combination of in situ stresses and dynamic stresses induced by mining activities. Understanding the mechanical properties of roof rocks under static and dynamic loads at medium strain rates is of great significance to revealing the mechanism of rock bursts. In this study, we employ the digital image correlation (DIC) technique to investigate the energy concentration and dissipation behaviors, failure mode, and deformation characteristics of roof rocks under combined static and dynamic loads. Our results show that both the static pre-stress and dynamic loading rate have significant effects on the uniaxial compressive strength of rock specimens. From the energy principle, when the static pre-stress is the same, both elastic strain energy density and dissipated energy density increase with increasing dynamic loading rate. The hazard of rock bursts increases with decreasing static pre-stress and increasing dynamic loading rate. At higher dynamic loading rates, more cracks are generated, and the failure becomes more violent. The crack initiation, propagation and coalescence processes are identified, and the failure mode is closely related to the evolution of the global principal strain field of the rock specimens.

Analysis of Exploitation Parameters in Drainage Boreholes of the Longwall Demethylation System. Case Study

In hard coal mines with methane, there is often a need to apply demethylation in order to keep the methane concentration not exceeding 2% in the ventilation air. The basic demethylation method in longwall areas is through drainage boreholes made in the roof rocks of the coal bed, from top gate, in front of the longwall. The drainage boreholes are usually made in bundles, in a fan-shaped arrangement, with several boreholes in each bundle. The paper presents the results of measurements and tests of the efficiency of a bundle of four drainage boreholes drilled approximately 100 m in front of the longwall face. The efficiency of individual boreholes was analyzed in time and depending on the distance of borehole outlets from the longwall face. It was found that there is a large variation in the extraction of air-methane mixture by individual drainage boreholes, as well as large differences in the efficiency of individual drainage boreholes during the longwall extraction process.

A Step-by-Step Procedure for Tests and Assessment of the Automatic Operation of a Powered Roof Support

A powered longwall mining system comprises three basic machines: a shearer, a scraper (longwall) conveyor, and a powered roof support. The powered roof support as a component of a longwall complex has two functions. It protects the working from roof rocks that fall to the area where the machines and people work and transports the machines and devices in the longwall as the mining operation proceeds further into the seam by means of hydraulic actuators that are adequately connected to the powered support. The actuators are controlled by a hydraulic or electro-hydraulic system. The tests and analyses presented in the developed procedure are oriented towards the possibility of introducing automatic control, without the participation of an operator. This is important for the exploitation of seams that are deposited at great depths. The primary objective was to develop a comprehensive methodology for testing and evaluating the possibility of using the system under operating conditions. The conclusions based on the analysis presented are a valuable source of information for the designers in terms of increasing the efficiency of the operation of the system and improving occupational safety. The authors have proposed a procedure for testing and evaluation to introduce an automatic control system into the operating conditions. The procedure combines four areas. Tests and analyses were carried out in order to determine the extent to which the system could be potentially used in the future. The presented solution includes certification and executive documentation.

Enhancement of rock bolt performance through “active” ground control

The research has proved that rock mass stability can be ensured using steel resin rock bolting including rods, fast-setting resin capsules, bearing plates, strapping and tension nuts. Interaction of these structural components with roof rocks and sidewalls involves obligatory displacement of rocks. The article presents the studies into applicability of steel resin rock bolting in difficult geological conditions in coal mines in Kuzbass. The steel resin rock bolting is considered in this case as the method of ‘active’ ground control. The ‘active’ ground control consists in the capacity of steel resin rock bolts to alter main strength characteristics of rocks, to increase their resistance and stability, and, thereby, to ensure efficiency of roof support. It is found that horizontal and vertical stresses in underground excavations depend on the mining depth. It is proved that rock bolts installed in the roof rocks can prevent or confine rock fracture.

Gas-dynamic roof fall during the potash deposits development

In the development of practically all potash salt deposits, the study of gas-dynamic phenomena (GDP) is one of the most difficult tasks to ensure mining safety. Sudden salt and gas outbursts, dynamic breakdown, which are accompanied by intense gas release and possible broken rock carry-over into the mine workings, are associated with GDP. Geological preconditions for the GDP development are often the layered structure of the salt rock mass, the presence of interlayers and layers of salt clays. For the conditions of the Usolsky potash plant mine, complex studies of factors that characterize the possibility of gas-dynamic roof fall of the stoping rooms were carried out. In mine studies, free gases pressure and the initial velocity of gas release in the rocks of the roof workings were determined. The obtained experimental estimations were used as a parametric basis for mathematical modeling of geomechanical processes under conditions of a near-contact accumulation of free gas. The deformation of a layered salt mass produced by a room development system was described by the model of an ideal elastic-plastic medium with internal friction. The parabolic envelope of Mohr circles was used as a plasticity criterion in the compression area. In the numerical implementation, the deformation of clay contacts was modeled by Goodman contact elements. Based on the results of multivariate numerical calculations, it is established that the main factors determining the possibility of implementing GDP are the additional gas pressure at the contact, the width of the workingspan, and the distance from the roof to the first gas-containing contact. With multi-level lamination of roof rocks, there is a danger of large sources of GDP formation and the mechanism of successive fall of layers in an instant mode is implemented.

SUBSTANTIATION FOR SIMPLIFICATION OF CALCULATION MODELS FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE STABILITY OF ROOF ROCKS

Purpose. Substantiation of expediency and admissibility of use of the simplified calculation models of a coal seam roof for an estimation of its stability under the action of external loadings. Methods. To achieve this purpose, the studies have been performed using the basic principles of the theory of elasticity and bending of plates, in which the coal seam roof is represented as a model of a rectangular plate or a beam with a symmetrical cross-section with different support conditions. Results. To substantiate and select methods for studying the bending deformations of the roof in the coal massif containing the maingates, the three-dimensional base plate model and the beam model are compared, taking into account the kinematic boundary conditions and the influence of external distributed load. Using the theory of plate bending, the equations for determining the deflections of the coal seam roof in three-dimensional basic models under certain assumptions have a large dimension. After the conditional division of the plate into beams of unit width and symmetrical section, when describing the normal deflections of the middle surface of the studied models, the transition from the partial derivative equation to the usual differential equations is carried out. In this case, the studies of bending deformations of roof rocks are reduced to solving a flat problem in the cross-section of the beam. A comparison of solutions obtained by the methods of the three-dimensional theory of elasticity and strength of materials was performed. For a beam with a symmetrical section, the deflection lies in a plane whose angle of inclination coincides with the direction of the applied load. The calculations did not take into account the difference between the intensity of the surface load applied to the beam. Differences in determining the magnitude of the deflections of the roof in the model of the plate concerning the model of the beam reach 5%, which is acceptable for mining problems. Scientific novelty. To study the bending deformations and determine the magnitude of the roof deflection in models under external uniform distributed load, placed within the simulated plate, a strip of unit width was selected, which has a symmetrical cross-section and is a characteristic component of the plate structure and it is considered as a separate load-bearing element with supports, the cross-sections of this element is remained flat when bending. The deflection of such a linear element is described by the differential equations of the bent axis of the beam without taking into account the integral stiffness of the model, and the vector of its complete displacement coincides with the vector of the force line. Practical significance. In the laboratory, to study the bending deformations and their impact on the stability of the coal seam roof under external loads, it is advisable to use a model of a single width beam with a symmetrical section with supports, the type of which is determined by rock pressure control and secondary support of the maingate at the extraction layout of the coal mine.

Development and testing of an algorithm for calculating the load on support of mine workings

Purpose. The purpose is to develop the calculation methods for minimizing the load on the fastening system of the preparatory mine working in difficult mining and geological conditions of its maintenance. Methods. By analysing the multivariate computational experiments on the study of the stress-strain state of the load-bearing elements of the ‘massif – support’ system in the preparatory mine workings by means of the finite-element method, as well as mine observations and measurements of displacement in the coal-overlaying rock formation. Findings. An algorithm has been developed for searching the rational modes of the fastening system resistance and methods for minimizing the load on the support of the preparatory mine working, maintained in very complex mining and geological conditions. Originality.The methodical principles have been developed of minimizing the load on the fastening system of the preparatory mine working, which are based on the use of a combination of stress-strain state studies of the ‘massif – support’ system by means of the finite element method and provisions of normative documents for calculating the dimensions of the dome of natural equilibrium of the mine working roof rocks. Practical implications. The operation modes optimisation of the load-bearing elements interaction of the mine working fastening system reduces the material and labour costs during its construction and increases its stability during operation. Keywords: analysis, calculation, optimization, support, preparatory mine working, stope works, roof rocks, collapse